Persimmon Cookies and Other Persimmon Recipes

Bake a batch of persimmon cookies for the perfect fall treat.

By Sharon Scott
Updated on September 28, 2023
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by AdobeStock/rickegrant

Bake a batch of persimmon cookies for the perfect fall treat.

The first hard frost of autumn is dreaded by most of my neighbors, because its arrival marks the end of the bright flowers and hints at the approach of winter. But I, and everyone who shares my secret, anxiously await that cold snap, for to us it means the ripening of the persimmon and free rein to whip up our favorite persimmons recipes.

Persimmon trees have grown wild in America for centuries. Their range stretches from New Jersey to Nebraska and southward to the Gulf. These flame-colored fruit can be made into a variety of tasty dishes. But, you need to learn the secret of its harvest.

How to Pick Persimmons

When the fruit hangs plump and luscious-looking from the tree, it’s a sorry person who tastes it. One bite of the firm persimmon and your mouth puckers up as though you’d gulped a glass of vinegar. Once the bright morsel has been touched by frost, though–when it hangs from the tree wrinkle-skinned and soft–a persimmon is sweet and has a spicy, plum-like flavor.

In the southernmost states–where frost is unlikely and the persimmon ripens by aging–it’s usually wrinkled and ready to pick by early December. The process can be hastened by placing the firm fruit in the refrigerator for two or three days and then bringing it out into room temperature for several days more.

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